Jude's Quinoa Salad

Besides all of the blackberry and cherry tarts that have been coming out of my kitchen, there have been a plethora of healthy meals, too. When I cook for myself, there's usually no recipe involved - I just sautee whatever vegetables I have and add in some kind of protein.

This warm quinoa salad recipe was given to me by my friend Jude, and it's one of those that doesn't require exact measurements. It has all of the right attributes: great flavor, healthy, and easy. Do the portions and measurements to taste and I promise it will come out well.

Jude's Quinoa Salad

- cook quinoa according to package directions

- make a red wine vinaigrette (red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper)

- roughly chop some shittake mushrooms

- toss mushrooms in some of the vinaigrette and put in the toaster oven or broiler for a few minutes

- toss some raw baby spinach with the rest of the vinaigrette

- put the warm quinoa on top of the spinach

- put the warm mushrooms on top of the quinoa

- add goat cheese

If you like this recipe, check out similar ones under my new tag "Healthy Recipes". A votre sante!

Strawberry Greens

Earlier this week I attended an Urban Indoor Picnic with 3 of my lovely girl friends. Traditionally we have done this picnic in the park, but yesterday was cool and foggy, which is often the case during San Francisco summers. We all made dishes, set them out, opened a bottle of wine, and sprawled out in the living room, thoroughly enjoying ourselves. Our hostess Kelly made one of her famous salads, which was a simple green salad with tons of fruit - strawberries, blueberries, oranges, and goat cheese. It was divine - none of us could stop eating it.

Today I wanted to make something reminiscent of that. I happened to have strawberries, greens and goat cheese, so I was good to go. What I craved was a sweet and savory dressing - so I went for a classic poppyseed dressing. This recipe makes a lot, so it's great for a party or to use during the week. The milky color does not come from dairy, but rather from emusifying all of the ingredients together. I totally forgot about gradually adding the oil, and just dumped it in with the rest of the ingredients, and gave it a whir with my immersion blender. Tastes like summer!

Poppy Seed Dressing

• 1/3 C. white sugar
• 1/2 C. white vinegar
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. ground dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon grated onion
• 1 C. vegetable oil
• 1 T. poppy seeds

Combine sugar, vinegar, salt, mustard and onion and process in a food processor or blender (or with an immersion blender) for 20 seconds. With the blender or food processor on high, gradually add oil in a slow, steady stream. Stir in poppy seeds.

Otsu-per Food

Otsu is a word that means many things, including stylish, chic, tasty, and spicy. And this salad definitely lives up to that - it is chock full of wonderful things like soba noodles, cilantro, green onion, cucumber, and tofu - with a wonderfully spicy dressing.

The recipe calls for 3/4 t. of cayenne which is way too much, imho - try it with 1/4 or 1/2 t., or if you are bold, just go with the original recipe.

Another great one from Heidi Swanson and her treasure trove of great-tasting, easy vegetarian and vegan recipes from her cookbook Super Natural Cooking, a book that I always pick up again in the New Year when I want healthy meal ideas.

It travels well, tastes great, and is not expensive or difficult to make - definitely a keeper.

Who Needs Vinegar When You've Got Gin?

Only in 1972 would you find a recipe called "Gin Salad". I had to make this salad dressing just because of the name. Thank you, Margo Rieman - it's not the best dressing I have ever had (you can really taste the gin - hic!), but it sure was fun to eat.

Gin Salad

• 4 T. olive oil
• 2 T. gin
• Dash Tobasco
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• Pinch dry mustard
• Salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients and let sit, stirring occasionally, until serving time. Then pour over greens, toss, and serve.

NOTE: I served this at a dinner party, and all of the women liked it, and all of the men unanimously hated it! So make it at your own risk. Or even better, just make a nice strong G & T and have a salad on the side. :)